Properties and applications of carbon nanotubes

摘要

The discovery of fullerenes showed how structures of sp~2 carbon built based on simple geometrical principles can result in new symmetries that can have fascinating and useful properties. Carbon nanotube is the most striking example. The combination of structure, topology, and dimension create a host of physical properties in nanotubes that are paralleled by few known materials. The combination of high strength, low density, high conductivity, chemical inertness, and low-dimensionality makes nanotubes excellent candidate material for many practical applications. Here we will describe some of these applications of nanotubes, for example, in energy storage, as field emitters, as fillers in novel polymer based composites, and as templates for the creation of unique nanowires. We will discuss recent strategies and challenges in the synthesis of nanotubes tailored for specific applications and their future prospects.